Foldable telescope golf cart having a balancing mechanism

ABSTRACT

A swing arm assembly of present invention becomes a balancing mechanism for a foldable telescope golf cart. The swing arm assembly adjusts the inclined angle of the golf beg on the golf cart, and thus adjusts the location of the center gravity of the cart. The golf cart is maintained in a balanced state when the center gravity fills upon the centerline of the cart wheels. The golf cart and swing arm assembly can be converted from compact size to full size, or vice versa, by a single action.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A foldable telescope golf cart is characterized by its ability to be folded to a compact size during storage. It is unfolded to a full size for carrying a golf bag and golf clubs during traveling. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,239, Yang claims an adjustable balancing mechanism for positioning the center gravity (c. g.) of the cart including the golf bag and golf clubs in line with the cart wheels. As a result, the cart is maintained in a balanced state that does not impose the weight of cart including golf beg and golf clubs upon the golfer. The balancing mechanism has a swing arm assembly pivotally connected to the cart frame. However, there is a drawback of such a balancing mechanism because the golfer needs to take an extra step to assemble or disassemble the balance mechanism when converting the cart from the compact size to the full size, or vice versa.

Therefore, there is a need to improve Yang's balancing mechanism so that the golf cart and the balancing mechanism can be converted from the compact size to the full size, or vice versa, by a single action.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a foldable telescope golf cart with a balancing mechanism, which allows the center gravity (c. g.) of the cart including the golf bag and golf clubs to fall upon the centerline of the cart wheels in a balanced state.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a balancing mechanism that allows the cart and the balancing mechanism to be converted from the compact size to the full size, or vice versa, by a single action.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the foldable telescope golf cart of present invention in a fill size and standing position.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the foldable telescope golf cart of present invention in a compact size and standing position.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the foldable telescope golf cart of present invention in a fill size and balanced state during traveling, in which the center gravity (c. g.) of the cart including the golf bag and golf clubs falls upon the centerline of the cart wheels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a standing foldable telescope golf cart having the balancing mechanism of present invention in fill and compact sizes respectively. The key elements of the balancing mechanism consist of a swing arm 1, and a pair of connecting rods 2 and 3. The balancing mechanism is incorporated into a golf cart that comprises of a lower cart frame 4, a upper cart frame 5, a mounting bracket 6 that pivotally connects the lower and upper cart frames 4 and 5, a pair of wheel frames 7 and 8, another mounting bracket 9 that pivotally connects the wheel frames 7 and 8 to the lower cart frame 4, a pair of wheels 10 and 11, a pair of connecting rods 12 and 13 that connect the upper cart frame 5 to the wheel frames 7 and 8 respectively, a plate 14 attached to the lower end of the lower cart frame 4 for supporting the golf beg, and a sliding bracket 15 slidably mounted to the upper cart frame 5. The sliding bracket 15 locks the upper cart frame 5 and the lower cart frame 4 in an extended telescope form while the cart being converted to a fill size. The connecting rods 12 and 13 provide linkages to convert the golf cart from compact size to fill size while rotating the upper cart frame 5 upward and away from the lower cart frame 4. After releasing the sliding bracket 15 from its locked position by moving the sliding bracket 15 upward, the connecting rods 12 and 13 provide linkage to convert the golf cart from full size to compact size while rotating the upper cart frame 5 downward and toward the lower cart frame 4. It is understood that the balancing mechanism of present invention can be incorporated into various foldable telescope golf carts in prior art that are similar to the one as described above. It is not the intent of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 to show the details of the existing parts of the cart, nor to cover the details of all various golf carts in prior art.

In the balancing mechanism of present invention, an end of the swing arm 1 is pivotally connected to the lower cart frame 4 by a mounting bracket 16. Another end of the swing arm 1 is fixedly connected to a saddle 17 for supporting the golf bag. The saddle 17 is provided with a belt 18 that fastens the golf bag to saddle 17. As a result, swing arm 1 can not rotate freely while the golf bag is fastened to saddle 17. The lower ends of connecting rods 2 and 3 are bent horizontally that penetrate through holes 19 and 20 in rod fittings 21 and 22 respectively. The upper ends of connecting rods 2 and 3 are bent horizontally that penetrate a though a hole 23 in mid section of swing arm 1. The rod fittings 21 and 22 are fixedly mounted to the mid sections of connecting rods 12 and 13 respectively. Alternatively, the rod fittings 21 and 22 can be the integral parts of connecting rods 12 and 13 respectively. The rod fittings 21 and 22 form the rotational joints that connect the lower ends of connecting rods 2 and 3 to the connecting rods 12 and 13 respectively. The through hole 23 forms a rotational joint that connects the upper ends of connecting rods 2 and 3 to the swing arm 1. The lower ends of connecting rods 2 and 3 are threaded so that nuts 24 and 25 respectively can be installed to prevent connecting rods 2 and 3 from sipping out of holes 19 and 20 respectively. Alternatively, the connecting rods 2 and 3 can be fabricated from a single rod. The balancing mechanism of present invention is capable of shifting the center gravity of the golf cart forward by means of decreasing an incline angel of the golf bag on the golf cart, and shifting the center gravity rearward by means of increasing the incline angel of the golf bag on the golf cart.

Connecting rods 2, 3, 12 and 13 jointly perform the following linkage functions:

(1). When the upper cart frame 5 is rotated downward and toward the lower cart frame 4 in an effort to convert the cart from full size (FIG. 1) to compact size (FIG. 2), the swing arm 1 is simultaneously rotated downward and toward the lower cart frame 4.

(2). When the upper cart frame 5 is rotated upward away from the lower cart frame 4 in an effort to convert the cart from compact size (FIG. 2) to full size (FIG. 1), swing arm 1 is simultaneously rotated away from the lower cart frame 4. Ultimately, swing arm 1 reaches its final position, i.e., a predetermined angular position that maintains the cart in a balanced state.

(3). After converting the cart from compact size to full size, the golf bag will be loaded on the cart and secured by belt 18. As a result, any rotational movements of connecting rods are prevented, and the swing arm 1 is secured and locked in its final position.

FIG. 3 shows the foldable telescope golf cart of present invention in a full size and inclined position during traveling. FIG. 3 illustrates the balanced state of the cart, in which the center gravity (c. g.) of the cart falls upon the centerline of the cart wheels.

It is understood that various forms of linkage can be used for achieving the purposes of connecting rods 2, 3, 12 and 13. It is not the intent of the present invention to specify all possible forms of linkage. For example, connecting rods 2 and 3 can alternatively connect the swing arm 1 to wheels frames 7 and 8. For another example, connecting rods 2 and 3 can alternatively connect the swing arm 1 to a sliding bracket sildably mounted on the lower cart frame 4, and another pair of connecting rods are provided to connect the sliding bracket to connecting rods 12 and 13 respectively, or to connect the sliding bracket to wheel frames 7 and 8 respectively. Therefore, any other forms of linkage different from that of the preferred embodiments of present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention.

It is also understood that synthesis of linkage may yield different results, such as different lengths or dimensions of linkage depending on the geometry of the cart. For example, it is often necessary to first select the locations of rotational joints to avoid interference with free rotation of the connecting rods. This may result in selecting a linkage in different length or shape. It is not the intent of the present invention to specify all possible results. Therefore, dimensions of linkages, or locations of connecting joints different from the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are considered within the scope of the present invention, provided that linkages perform the same function as disclosed by the present invention. 

1. A foldable telescope golf cart having a balancing mechanism and a method for maintaining said golf cart in a balanced state for carrying a golf bag and golf clubs, in which: Said golf cart being maintained in said balanced state by positioning the center gravity of said golf cart in line with a centerline of a pair of cart wheels; and Said balancing mechanism capable of shifting said center gravity forward by means of decreasing an incline angel of said golf bag on said golf cart, and shifting said center gravity rearward by means of increasing said incline angel of said golf bag on said golf cart; and Said golf cart comprising of A first upper cart frame, a second lower cart frame, A first mounting bracket that pivotally connecting the lower end of said first upper cart frame to the upper end of said second lower cart frame, A pair of wheels connected to a pair of wheel frames, A second mounting bracket that pivotally connecting said wheel frames to the mid section of said second lower cart frame, A first pair of first and second connecting rods that connecting said first upper cart frame to said wheel frames, A first plate attached to the lower end of said second lower cart frame for supporting the bottom of said golf bag, A third sliding bracket slidably mounted to said first upper cart frame, and said third sliding bracket and said first mounting bracket capable of extending said first upper cart frame and said second lower cart frame in the form of a telescope while converting said golf cart from a compact size to a full size; and said third sliding bracket and said first mounting bracket capable of folding said first upper cart frame and said second lower cart frame while converting said golf cart from said full size to said compact size, A swing arm, A fourth mounting bracket that pivotally connecting an end of said swing arm to the upper end of said second lower cart frame, A saddle being fixedly attached to another end of said swing arm for supporting the upper part of said golf bag, A belt being attached to said saddle for fastening said golf bag to said saddle, A second pair of third and fourth connecting rods, wherein the upper ends of said third and fourth connecting rods penetrating horizontally a through hole in mid section of said swing arm, and thus forming a first rotational joint of said third and fourth connecting rods that connecting said third and fourth connecting rods to said swing arm, A second and third rotational joints of said third and fourth connecting rods at the lower ends of said third and fourth connecting rods respectively; and Said first and second connecting rods performing a first linkage function that enabling said wheel frames and said first upper cart frame to be simultaneously rotated downward and toward said second lower cart frame when converting said golf cart from said full size to said compact size; and Said first and second connecting rods performing a second linkage function that enabling said wheel frames and said first upper cart frame to be simultaneously rotated upward and departing from said second lower cart frame when converting said golf cart from said compact size to said full size; and Said first, second, third and fourth connecting rods jointly performing a third linkage function that enabling said first upper cart frame to be rotated downward and toward said second lower cart frame, and enabling said swing arm to be simultaneously rotated downward and toward said second lower cart frame when converting said golf cart from said fill size to said compact size; and Said first, second, third and fourth connecting rods jointly performing a fourth linkage function that enabling said first upper cart frame to be rotated upward in said telescope form, and enabling said swing arm to be simultaneously rotated upward and toward a final position when converting said golf cart from said compact size to said fill size, in which said swing arm at said final position positioning said golf bag at said incline angel for maintaining said golf cart in said balanced state during traveling.
 2. The golf cart according to claim 1, in which said second and third rotational joints of said third and fourth connecting rods being located in a pair of rod fittings fixedly attached to the mid sections of said first and second connecting rods, wherein the lower end of each of said third and fourth connecting rods penetrating horizontally a through hole in each of said rod fittings.
 3. The golf cart according to claim 1, in which said second and third rotational joints of said third and fourth connecting rods being located in mid section of said wheel frames, wherein the lower end of each of said third and fourth connecting rods penetrating horizontally a through hole in mid section of each of said wheel frames.
 4. The golf cart according to claim 1, in which said second and third rotational joints of said third and fourth connecting rods being located in a fifth sliding bracket slidably attached to said second lower cart frame, wherein the lower end of each of said third and fourth connecting rods penetrating horizontally a through hole in said fifth sliding bracket.
 5. The golf cart according to claim 4, in which a third pair of fifth and sixth connecting rods are installed, and a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rotational joints are provided at the upper and lower ends of said fifth and sixth connecting rods that connect said fifth sliding bracket to said wheel frames, wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth connecting rods jointly performing said third and fourth linkage functions.
 6. The golf cart according to claim 4, in which a third pair of fifth and sixth connecting rods are installed, and a fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rotational joints are provided at the upper and lower ends of said fifth and sixth connecting rods that connect said fifth sliding bracket to said third and fourth connecting rods, wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth connecting rods jointly performing said third and fourth linkage functions.
 7. The golf cart according to claim 1, in which said second pair of third and fourth connecting rods are fabricated from a single piece of metal rod.
 8. The golf cart according to claim 1, in which the lower ends of said third and fourth connecting rods are threaded and provided with locking nuts.
 9. The golf cart according to claim 2, in which said rod fittings have a feature preventing said rod fittings from sliding along said first and second connecting rods.
 10. The golf cart according to claim 2, in which said rod fittings are integral parts of said first and second connecting rods. 